This is the only result of the meeting, but this is quite an achievement since no one expected a breakthrough at the Vienna consultations. No progress is possible when each delegation from the conflicting sides has a rigid position. Why was this round of talks necessary at all?
Let's bear in mind that this round was largely initiated by Moscow. It backed Belgrade and refused to consider a new draft resolution on Kosovo, which was based on the plan of UN special envoy Martti Ahtisaari. Russia insisted on looking for a compromise between Serbs and Kosovo Albanians, and on replacing Ahtisaari with a new candidate who would be ready to continue the talks. The EU idea to set up the Troika was backed by Russia and the United States.
The Troika's priority is to launch direct dialogue between Belgrade and Pristina. Therefore, no one was upset when neither the first Troika visit to the Balkans in early August nor the recent talks in Vienna helped the conflicting parties reach compromise. In other words, today it is good enough if the sides are ready to conduct even indirect dialogue. But what comes next?
Contradictions between the members of the Troika and between Pristina and Belgrade on two major issues are already obvious. The first is the deadline for the end of the talks, and the second is the future of the Ahtisaari plan, which suits Kosovo Albanians, the EU and the United States but is rejected by Serbia and Russia.
As for the date of completing the talks, the U.S.-backed Kosovo Albanians believe that December 10, 2007 should be the deadline. On this day, the Troika will report to the United Nations on the progress made in the negotiating process. The UN will decide whether to extend the Troika's mandate or make another decision, depending on the circumstances.
However, Kosovo Minister of Justice Jonuz Salihaj has already warned that after December 10 Kosovo will start functioning as an independent state. Kosovo President Fatmir Sejdiu has also voiced the same position. He believes the new 120-day negotiating efforts should finally determine Kosovo's status. Further delays in granting independence to Kosovo will be counterproductive, he said on the way to Vienna.
In the meantime, Moscow and Belgrade insist that the talks should not have a deadline. Commenting on the Vienna talks, Serbian Prime Minister Vojislav Kostunica said that the quality of the talks is important, not their length, particularly considering that December 10 is simply the date when the Troika has to report to the UN. It has not been registered anywhere that this should be the end of the talks. Moscow believes that the talks can only end when the sides reach a compromise.
But there is still a long way to compromise. Both before and after the Vienna talks, the Kosovo delegates made it clear that for them the territory's status had long been determined and they were going to discuss only the efforts to develop friendly relations with Belgrade. The Albanians are also going to use the time allotted for the talks to win the hesitant Slovakia, Romania and Greece over to their side.
However, Belgrade is not going to give up a considerable part of what it considers Serbian territory and to accept Kosovo's independence. Kostunica has already said that the Serbian authorities are working on different scenarios of responding to a unilateral proclamation of Kosovo's independence.
He did not specify what measures he meant because he considered this inappropriate during the start of the Vienna talks. To sum up, the latter have produced at least one result - the sides will try to show restraint, albeit in a rather peculiar way. Be it as it may, the Troika will continue its work. It will meet with the Belgrade and Pristina delegation in September in New York, but anything more specific will become clear in late November, if at all.
The opinions expressed in this article are the author's and do not necessarily represent those of RIA Novosti.
